Printing apparatus



March 24, 1925i H. c. wsu-ER PRINTING APPARATUS med 'web'. 1, 1923 3Sheets- Shui 2 n Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITED ASTATI-:s

PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN c. WELTER, or; ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, AssIGNoRTo,HALn-wELTERloo.,`r

' 1No.,oE RocHEsT-ERNEWYORK.

PRINTING AiPPARATUs.

Application mea February 1, 1923. serial No. 616,369.

To all '1v/ont it may concern.' Be it known that I, HERMAN C. VVELTER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of NewYork, have invented anew and useful Improvementin Printing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to type carriers, and an object of theinvention is 'to provide a carrier on which type bars are removablysupported in such manner that one bar may bereadily substituted foranother.

Although the invention 'may beadapted to dierent forms of printingapparatus, it is more particularly intended for usein connection withmachines in which a carrier is provided with a plurality of type lines,the carrier being movable to bring the several lines of'typeiselectivelyinto printing position. The vvari-ous makes of check r,writing machinesusuallyembody a printing element of this character, thev carriercommonly being a cylinder with the type lines formed integrally on itsperipheral face. y Such a machine, howevenis limitedin its use toprintingspecifically the words or characters formed on the cylinder, andit is a further object of the invention, by providing the'carrier withremovable and interchangable type bars, to extend` the use o-f themachine to printing on commercial papers other than checks or likenegotiable instruments. That is, although a' machine may be intended foruse primarily as a check writer, by being ableto ysubstitute one typebar for another business establishments may for a nominal cost have typebars furnished them bearing distinctive words or characters so that themachine lmay be used in printing on other papers such as order slips,invoices, receipts, express forms and the like.

In the manufacture of type' cylinders with the type formed integrallythereon, a large Vpercentage of the cylinders have to be scrapped owingto one or more of the type lines being defective. This is a waste in thecost of' manufacture which it is a further object of the invention toovercome by forming the type cylinder and the type bars separately andremovably supporting the` type bars on the cylinder so that if one barproves defective it may readily be replaced by a perfect one.

And, a stillfurther obj ect of the invention is` to provide a type wheelwith removable type bars arranged onits peripheralsurface at an angle tothe axis of the wheel. the bars being so positioned that their printingfaces when brought selectively into printing position, will present` avHat surface to a correspondingly flat surfaced platen common to theseveral type bars. y

To these and other endsthe invention consists of certain parts andcombinations of parts as will be fully set'forth in the followingdescription and particularly defined in the appended claims. f i y. lThe accompanying drawings illustrating thefinvention are as .follows:- nn Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, `side and face views, withtype'bars removed, -of a preferred form of type Wheel made in cordancewithmy invention.

Fig. 3 is a face viewof` y taining member forfthe-.type bars. f

Fig. 41 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the wheelas seen inv Fig.`1.V

Fig. 5 isf an enlargedy fragmentary sectional view as onthe line 5 5,Fig. 2, but with the typebars in place.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail'jon the line 6--6, Fig. 3. YFigs. 7 and 8 are` enlarged fragmentary side views of the assembledwheel.y

Fig. 9 is aninner face view, of the rigid type bar retaining member.

Figs.. 10 and 11 are side and face views, respectively, of thereinforcing clamping plate for the part shown in Fig. .l ,y y

Fig. 12 shows infront elevation a .printing machine in which a typewheel such as he resilient reshown vin theV above described figures maybe Fig. 13 enlarged fragmentary tional view of the `assembled type wheelas taken longitudinally of one of the type bars.

Fig. 14C is a'view similarto Fig. 13 showing the relative positions of"type Wheel and platen.

Figs. 15 and 16 are top and kside views, respectively, of one of thetype bars.

Fig. 17y isan illustration ofthe printing done by the printing Wheel.

Fig. 18 shows a modification of the type Wheel in which the slots forthe type barsl on the other side of thel web.

being a section-al View on the line 21-21, Fig. 20,l While Fig. 2O is aside view of a type cylinder or Wheel onv which the type bars arearranged transversely of its axis. Fig. 22 is a perspective view,partlyin section, showing the invention as embodied in a machineemploying an endlessy belt as the type'carrier. Fig. 23 is an endvi'evv,vvith parts broke away, of still another modification oftheinvention in which the type surfaces are arrai'iged in a' sin'gle'plane.

And, Fig. 24 is a side view of the seen in Fig. 23; y

Similar reference numerals .1I-oferto siniilar parts'throughouttheseveral views.

Referi-ingnrst to 1' iio i?, inclusive. The numeral 1 represents thetype carrier which, in this instance, is cylindrical parts vandcomprises a wheel formed with a hub- 2, a central Vweb 3, reinforcingradial arms a on one side of the web 3 and radial arms The peripheralsurface of the Wheel is formed with a plurality of regularly spacedslots 6. These slots are open ended andv extend fromv one side ofthevheel to the other and at an angie to the of rotation of the wheel,the side Walls of each slot preferably being parallel While the bottomWall vis in a plane tangentialto' a concentric circle ofthe Wheel.Fitted Within the slots'` 6 are bars 7, the outer faces of whichconstitute type faces S'bearing any suitable WordsV or characters and,

' when the invention is embodied in a check ing of the check. f'

Anysuitable means may be provided for removably holding .the type barsin place. In 'this instance, theV top and lbottor'n end edges `of thebars Vare parallel to the side faces of the wheel, but tiieyend vfao-'esof the bars ,are beveled so as to inclino upwardly and inwardly, theseond fao-es at. one sido ofthe Wheel lockingly engaging the under-kcutannular portion 9 of a rigid circular retaining plate 10 secured byscrews' Il. to the Wheel arms et, the plateJ having` a central bore 12for receivingthe hub 2 and an amiular. shoulder 13 for engaging theinner face of the Wheel rim. The opposite bevelled end faces of Ithetypebars are ryieldingly engaged by .a circular plate 111-' of springmetal, such plate being slotted radially to form an annular series ofregularly spaced spring members 15, one for each bar 7, these springportions extending ont- Wardly from the body of the plate over the Wheelrim and theninw'ardly substantially parallel With the end faces of thetype bars and engaging the bars under tension. The' bodyl portion of thespring plate 14 lies against the Wheel-arms 5 and is secured thereto bymeans of a reinforcing ring 16 and screws 17k which latter are threadedinto the arms 5, the plate Ill` having a center bore 18 for receivingthe hub 2.

As hereinbefore stated, the type Wheel as just above described may beused. in a check Writing machinesuch as shown in Fig. 12. Vhen soemployed it is housed Within an overhanging head portion 19 of the frameand fixed to a shaft-,20' revolubly supported a member guided forvertical movement in such head portion, the shaft 20 alsoI having firedvthereon a dial Wheel 21 and a suitable turning knob 22'. In order tobring a selected one of the type facesinto printing position, the shaftis rotated by means of the knob 22 until vthe corresponding indicationon the Wheel 21 'is brought into registration with the index 23. Theprinting is then effected f by moving the type Wheel and platenrelatively toward each other. In this 'instance the type Wheel is themovable member and is carried toward and from the' platen 24 by meansvof suitable mechanism, not shown, having' connection with the type'Wheel supporting membery and the operating crank 25. l The platen 24 iscommon to all of the typefaces.y It is mounted in the base'26 of themachine and presents a serrated surface through an opening in the bedplate 27 over which the check 28 is fed in a direction longitudinallyofthe machine, the oheckbengaging betvveen the feed rollers 29 andpressure rollers 30 and being fed by the rollers` 29 a predetermineddistance on the return movement of the type 'Wheel after each printingoperation, the feeding mechanism not being shown as it forms no part ofthe inifention'.r

'The printing faces of the type bars, it ivill be understood, when'selectively brought into printing position, lie in a plane pai-a1- lelto the platen which, in turn, is parallel to the plate 27 and thesebars, when in such position, are at an angle to the directionof feed ofthe check so that the printing will appear, as illustrated in Fig. 17,oir parallel lines diagonal to the line of feed.

An opening, not shown, in the .front Wall of the head 19 is normallyclosed bya Aremovable cover plate 231 which when removed permits accessto the type wheel for the substitution of one type bar for another, asuitable tool, Aindicated at 32 in dotted lines in Fig. 13, being usedto move a bar 7 longitudinally in its slot against the action of itsspring member 15 to disengag'e the bar from the undercut portion of theplate 10.

vIt might be added, also, that this plate is formed with an annularseries of regularly spaced projectlons' between adjacent ones of which aguiding lug, not shown, kengages IOT ill

in the movement of the type ivheel toward the platen so as to center theWheel and pre-` vent its rotation during the printing opera-y tion,elongated openings 34 being formed in the plate 1.0 for the screws l1 topermit adjnstment of the plate so that the slots be-` tWeen the lugs 33will. register with their respective type bars.

Byhaving the vtype bars removable a per-y fect bar may be substitutedfor a damaged one Without the necessity of furnishing an entirely newWheel. Also, should a pur-v chaser desirel a certain distinctive linecoftype for his checks, such as a type line bearing his name so that hisname may be printed on the checks in the same manner and preceding theamount for Which the check is drawn, the saine may be furnished at avery nominal cost While permitting him to purchase a stock machine andnot requiring a type Wheel to be made special.` And, again, by havingthe type bars removable a user may at any time insert vtype bars bearingsuch Words or characters as Will permit the machine being used in` abusiness establish-` ment for lmany other purposes'other than Writing onchecks or like negotiable 1nstru ments.

In Fig. 18 there is shown a modification Aof the type Wheel inwhich theslots 36 eX- tend parallel with the axis of rotation. The type barretaining members in this instance Would be the same as those for theWheel l.

In Figs. 19, 2() and Q1 the invention is illustrated as embodied inaprinting ma chine in which the type carrier is an elongated cylindricalmember 37 splined to a shaft 33 and having a segmental portion 39grooved transversely thereof to yform regularly spaced open ended curvedslots 40 adapted to receive similarly curved type bars l-l the ends ofwhich are bevelled in like manner as the bars 't'. Secured to one vvallof the segmental portion 39 of the cylinder by screws 42 is a retainingplateel arranged at such an angle as to lockingly engage the abuttingends of the type bars 41, While the other ends of the bars areVyieldingly engaged b v spring members` 44; projecting angularlyoutwardly from a spring ymetal plate 45 with which they are integrallyformed and which is held by means of a re- .iuforcing plate 4G andscrews-4.7 to the body of the cylinder. The curved printing faces of thetype hars coact with a roller platen t8 mounted in a support l() andprojecting through an opening 5() in abcd plate 5.1 over which the checkor other instrument is fed, the printing elements in this instance constituting the feeding means and the platen being common to the severaltype bars'vvhich` are selectively brought into printing positionrelatively to the platen by movement of the cylinder along the shaft 38.y

Fig. Q2 shows the invention as it may be embodied in a'n'iachine inwhich the type carrier 1s an endless belt. Each typebar 52 is, yin thisinstance, supported in a grooved y block 53 secured to the belt members54 in any, suitable .mannen as by the rivets 55. The block 53 may be a'casting With the groove open at one end only but having the inner faceof the end Wall undercut to lockingly engage the abutting bevelled endface 56l of the4 type bar, the other end of the bar beingyieldinglyengaged by a spring arm 57 bent angularly from a plateS secured byrivets '59 to a side Wall of the block.v

In the modification shown in Figs. 23 and 24 the type facesy of theseveral type bars 60 constitute a llatsurface, and to this end thesupporting member is a, framel formed with regularly spacedlparallelslots G2 for receiving :the bars 60. These grooves are open ended andare closed at one end yof the frame'by a .plate 63 secured to the frameby screws 64e and having an undercut longi-y tudinally extending portionon its inner face for lockingly engaging the -abutting bevelled endfaces 65 of the type bars, the other ends of the bars yieldinglyengaging the spaced spring portions G6 projecting from a plate .6.7'clamped to aside Wall of the frame 'by the. reinforcing plate G8 andscrews 69.

From .the foregoing it Will be seenthat in the several modifications ofthe invention the type :bars are removably supportedl on theirrespective type carriers, in each instance a bevelledv end face of thetype bars lockingly engaging va correspondingly bev elled surface of afixed member at one side of the carrier to hold the bars againstvertical displacement, While the bars arey yieldingly held by springmembers engaging their other ends against both vertical and p4longitudinal displacement. Also, in one `em-=v bodiment of theinvention the typel bars are arranged `onl the periphery' of a typeWheel at an angle, other than a right angle, to the axis of the `Wheeland in such manner that each type bar, When brought into printingposition, presents a flat printing surface to the paper on which theimpression is to be made. Furthermore, `vvithjthe typek bars having aslight yielding movement longitudinally oftheir respective slots in thetype carrier, should the wheel be out of true the bars when brought intocontact with the lined platen will 'adjust themselves to the platen so-that there will be a perfect mating` ofthe serrated surfaces andconsequently a `clean printing impression.

lVhatI claim is: i l. In a printing apparatus, av cylindrical typecarrier having a plurality of spaced slots extending angularly acrossthe peripheral face thereof, the `bottom Wall of each slot being in `aplane tangential to a con type bars being parallel to the platen.

` ing surface, al supporttfor 'the platen, av

" printing members haring serrated impres.

faces.

2.. In printing apparatns, a cylindrical type wheel, and a plnrality ofdisposed type 'bars extending angnlarly across ith-c peripheral liaceoit' the wheel, lthe contacting snrtaee orf cach type bar beingtangential 'to a concentric circle vot 4the Wheel.

In a .printing apparatus, a .cylindrical type Wheel baring regularly.spaced slots extending angularly `.across its peripheral face, and typelbars removably :supported in `said slots, the contacting .surtaoe ofeach type bar being in :a plane tangential to a concentric circle of theWheel.

l. The combination, in :a printing apparatns, ot :a platen having anon-curved :printsnrface, a sup-port for the `platen, a cylindrical typecarrier, a plurality of type bars extending angularly .across theperipheral tace :of the carrier, the type carrier being rotatable vtoselectively bring said type bars into printing position .and when insuch position the contacting surfaces of the the plane of 5. The`combination, in a .printing apparatus, oli' za. .platen having anon-curved printcylindri-cal .type carrier, a plurality of type barsremovably supported angularly across the peripheral face of thelcarrier, the type carrier being rotatable to selectively bring said typebars 'into printing position and when in such position the contacting.surfaces yof the type bars 'being parallel to the plane of the platen.

'6- In .a printing apparatus, two izo-acting printing nielnbcrsliavingserrated impression surfaces, and yieldable incans permit-- tingrelative incitement ot said members mating of the serrated L'sarta-ces.

7. In a printing appaiatils, :two co-acting sion surfaces, and yieldableineens permitting longitudinal movement of one of said lneniuersoli-.contact with the other member to ellect proper mating oit' theserrated .sur-

8. In a printing apparatus, a platen having a `serinted surface, supportfor the platen, a cylindrical type carrierhaving a plurality olfserifated type bars .engaging in slots across the peripheral 'face olfthe cafl'rier, said .carrier being rotatable to :selectively bring :the-type bars into prin-.ting position., :and yieldaible means permittinglongitudinal .movement Aol' .each type bar in its respect-ive slot oncontact with the platen to eil'ect proper mating ot .the serratedsurfaces.

9. ln a printing apparatus, a cylindrical type carrier `formed withregularly spaced slots in its :outer periphery, type bars removablysupported in the said slots and` haa/'ing betelled end Yfaces, .a platescci'lrod to :the 'type carrier having' a surface loci;- ingly theabnttim bevelled end lianes off the `type .bai-s, :a second plate:secniied' to the type carrier, :and spring arms pmjectimg from said.second named .plate and bearing :against respective ones off the otherbevelled end tacosk of the Ibiars to yieldingly hold the bars again-stdisplacement. y.

l0.. In :a printing apparatus, `a cylindrical type carrier formed withregularly spaced slots in its outer' periphery, type bars removablysupported in the vsaid slots and having bev-oiled end faces, a platesecured to the type carrier having a surface lockingly engaging theabutting bevelled end faces of thel type bars, :a Vsecond plate securedto the type carrier, and spring arms projecting from ysaid second namedplate and bearing vagain-st respective ones of the other benelled end`faces of the bars to yieldingly hold l the bars against displacenient,.each bar being movable against its spring arm to disengage its bevelledend from locking engagement with the said first named retaining plate.

l1. The combination in a printing niacliine, of 1a bed having a llatsurface over which the paper to be. printed on is ted, a platernfa typewheel, and' regularly spaced type bars :arrangedon the periphery ot' thetype. Wheel'at v.an angle less than` a rig-ht angle to the axis otrotation, the' type Wheel being rotatable to selectively bring said typebars into printing position, and when in such position the selected typebar and platen having their contacting surfaces in parallel planesparallel to the-said bed.

12. The' combination in a printing niachine., of having a flat surfaceover' which the paper to be printed on is led, a

platen, a type Wheel formed with regularly spaced :slots extendingacrossv the wheel at an :angle to its axis of rotation, and type barsremovably .supported said slots, the type Wheel being rotatable .toselectively bring the type bars into printing position, and *when vinsuch position .the selected type bar and platen having their contactingsurtacosl in parallelplanes parallel to the said bed.

The combinati-on in a printing inaolline., ,of a bed having a flatsurface over which the paper :to be printed on 1s ted, a

platen, a type Wheel formed with regularly spaced slots .extendingacross the wheel at an angle to its axis ,of rotation, type barsremovably supported in said slots., fthe type Wheel` being rotatable toselectively bring the 'type bars into printing position, and when in.such position the selected type bar and platen having their contactingsurfaces in parallel planesparallel to `said bed, and type barretaining. means on Said Wheel permitting the removal and insertion ofthe several type bars independently of each other. f

14. Iu a printing apparatus, a type Wheel formed on its 'fperiphery Withregularly spaced slots extending across the Wheel, type bars removablysupported in said slots and having their end faces at one side of theWheel bevelled, a plate secured on one sidev of the wheel and having anundercut annular surface portion for lockingly engaging the abuttingbevelled end faces of the type bars, and a plate secured tothe otherside of the Wheel and slotted radially to form a plurality of regularlyspaced spring arms7 said spring arms bearing against the other end facesof the type'bars toyieldingly hold the said bevelled end faces in lock#ing engagement with the undercut surface of the said first namedretaining plate.

l5. In a printing apparatus, a type Wheel formed on its periphery withregularly spaced slots extending across the Wheel, type bars removablysupported in said slots and having their end faces bevelled, a platesecured on one side of the Wheel and havingan undercut annular surfaceportion for lockingly engaging the abutting end faces of the type bars,a plate secured to the tending Voutwardly from the body of the plate andthen angularly inwardly to bear against the other bevelled end faces ofthe type bars to hold the bars against both vertical and longitudinaldisplacement,

and a clamping member secured to the Wheel for reinforcing the saidspring arms.

16. In a printing apparatus, a type Wheel formed on its periphery withregularly spaced angularly disposed slots eX- tending across the Wheel,the bottom Walls of the slots being in planes tangential to a concentriccircle of the Wheel, type bars removably supported in said slots andhaving type faces parallel to the bottom Walls of their respectiveslots, the end faces of the bars being bevelled, a plate secured to oneside of the Wheel and having an undercut annular surface portion forlockingly engaging the abutting end faces of the type bars, a platesecured to the other side of the type Wheel and slotted radially to forma plurality of regularly spaced spring arms, said spring arms extendingoutwardly from the body of the plate and then angularly inwardly to bearagainst the other bevelled end faces of the type bars to hold the bars`against both vertical and longitudinal displacement, anda clamping ringsecured to the type Wheel for rein orcing the said spring arms. v

i HERMAN C. WELTER.

